A pocket pistol is any compact, pocket-sized handgun, suitable for concealed carry in either a pants pocket or a coat pocket. Concealed carry is the practice of carrying a firearm, usually a handgun, in public in a concealed manner. Conventional pocket pistols are often carried in a pocket holster to prevent inadvertent discharge while being carried. While some of these holsters attempt to address the easily identifiable silhouette of a pocket carry firearm in a carrier's pocket, the shape of the firearm is no longer concealed once the firearm is drawn. Furthermore, a conventional handgun shape can also be difficult to draw smoothly from a pocket and often turn pockets inside out, which causes snagging when the firearm is drawn.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved folding pocket pistol that is easily carried and stored without resembling a firearm. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the folding pocket pistol according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of being easily carried and stored without resembling a firearm.